Himachal CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu Seeks Higher Allocation Of Funds For Central Schemes
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Saturday emphasised upon special needs of the hill states and said they should be considered for higher allocation of funds by relaxing eligibility criteria in central schemes.
Speaking at the 10th governing council meeting of Niti Aayog here, chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Chief Minister demanded the release of funds due to the state, which have been pending for a long time. 'If the long pending dues are released by the Centre well in time, Himachal Pradesh will itself become self-reliant,' he said. The Chief Minister elaborated on the state government's vision to bring the state to the most favourite tourist destination on the tourism map of the country.
'The government envisions a compact package for tourism promotion which includes and will integrate religious tourism, eco tourism, water tourism, nature tourism, health tourism, etc, which can attract all kinds of tourists from the country as well as from abroad. We are also expanding the Kangra airport to facilitate the landing of the larger planes, which will add to the economy of the region as footfall of tourists will increase manifold,' he said.
He pleaded about state's rights in hydropower projects and raised the issue of free royalty and handing over the projects under public sector undertakings (PSUs) and central public sector undertakings (CPSUs), which had completed 40 years. The Chief Minister raised the matter of royalty aligned with the state government's energy policy. He outlined the policy, which mandates a 12 per cent royalty for the first 12 years, 18 per cent for the subsequent 18 years and 30 per cent for the next 10 years in the power projects.
He said private companies already comply with this policy and emphasised that central PSUs should also follow it. The Chief Minister also informed that Himachal Pradesh is the 'lungs of northern India' and has contributed a lot to preserving the green cover, and added that the state should get a Green Bonus for protecting the environment.
The state government has set a target to make Himachal Pradesh a Green Energy state by March 31, 2026. 'In the coming years, Himachal Pradesh will become a pioneering state in green hydrogen production in the country. A one-megawatt capacity green hydrogen plant is being set up in the Solan district in collaboration with Oil India Limited,' he added.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
43 minutes ago
- Time of India
Telangana greenlights Auto LPG for 40,000 new autorickshaws in Hyderabad
In a major boost to India's clean mobility transition , the Telangana government has approved the inclusion of Auto LPG as an authorised fuel for 40,000 new eco-friendly autorickshaws within the Outer Ring Road (ORR) limits of Hyderabad. The move has been welcomed by the Indian Auto LPG Coalition (IAC) as a significant step toward reducing vehicular emissions and improving urban air quality . The IAC described the decision as a forward-thinking intervention in India's ongoing fight against air pollution and a timely recognition of Auto LPG's potential in a diverse clean-fuel ecosystem. Auto LPG Gains Policy Traction in Telangana Speaking on the development, Suyash Gupta, Director General of IAC, said, 'Telangana government's decision to include Auto LPG as an eco-friendly fuel is a positive and timely move in India's fight against rising urban pollution. Including Auto LPG in alternative fuel policies not only helps reduce harmful vehicular emissions but also strengthens India's overall energy security by diversifying our fuel mix.' Auto LPG, already widely used in several countries, is recognised for being a cost-effective and readily available fuel that offers immediate reductions in harmful vehicular emissions such as carbon monoxide and particulate matter. The IAC emphasised that such policies can deliver fast and scalable results, particularly in urban areas struggling with poor air quality. Call for Wider Adoption and OEM Support While welcoming the Telangana move, the IAC also urged other state governments and the Centre to follow suit by formally including Auto LPG in their clean fuel frameworks. The Coalition pointed out that embracing a broad mix of alternative fuels—CNG, electricity, biofuels, and Auto LPG— is essential for an inclusive and effective transition to sustainable mobility. With over 33 crore petrol and diesel vehicles currently on Indian roads, the IAC argued that an outright ban or phase-out of ICE vehicles is unrealistic in the short term. Instead, incentivising retrofitment to cleaner fuels like Auto LPG offers a practical and consumer-friendly path toward emissions reduction. Alignment with National Policy Developments The IAC also applauded the recent move by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to restrict the addition of new petrol and diesel vehicles in e-commerce and aggregator fleets in the Delhi-NCR region starting January 1, 2026. This policy shift aligns with the broader national goal of reducing emissions from fleet-based operations, especially in pollution hotspots. The Indian Auto LPG Coalition reiterated its commitment to working with governments and industry stakeholders to promote fuel diversity and clean transportation. It called on all policymakers to accelerate the adoption of sustainable fuel solutions, particularly in high-density urban centres where the air quality crisis is most severe.
Deccan Herald
43 minutes ago
- Deccan Herald
Newark Airport incident: Student entered US illegally, restrained over behaviour: Report
The viral video had sparked political exchanges in India, with the Congress demanding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi immediately speak to US President Donald Trump about the mistreatment of Indians in America.
Indian Express
44 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Community forest rights can end Naxalism. Gadchiroli is an example
Home Minister Amit Shah has declared that this government would end Naxalism by 31 March 2026. The Centre has also urged Naxal-affected states to expedite local infrastructure development programmes and provide the best possible rehabilitation packages to surrendered Naxals, while simultaneously continuing operations. These strategies have led to mixed results. Gadchiroli district in Maharashtra, in addition to the above strategies, has pushed for the recognition of customary and traditional rights of forest-dwelling communities over forest resources as a strategy to end Naxalism. Gadchiroli district's recognition of community forest rights (CFRs) is among the most advanced in the country. Forest-dwelling communities of the district collectively own 5,110.07 sq km of the district's 9,902.8 sq km of forest. This is unparalleled in comparison to any other part of the country, especially in a district where the Scheduled Tribe and Scheduled Caste populations constitute 38.17 per cent and 11.25 per cent, respectively. All of this began with the recognition of the first community forest rights in India in August 2009, for the village of Mendha Lekha in Gadchiroli under the Forest Rights Act, 2006. The Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006, recognises the pre-existing rights of forest-dwelling communities over forest resources irrespective of the classification of forests. These rights, in addition to several customary rights, grant exclusive control to these communities over all types of minor forest produce, including rights to bamboo and tendu leaves, and management rights through the Gram Sabha. While states across the country remain reluctant to recognise community forest rights and tend to deregulate colonial and post-colonial regulations on minor forest produce, Gadchiroli has witnessed significant developments. The first transit pass to sell bamboo by the Gram Sabha to contractors of their choice was handed over to the Gram Sabha of Mendha Lekha by the then Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan and the then Union Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh. The process of deregulation and recognition of CFRs continued thereafter, despite the shift in political power. The current Chief Minister, Devendra Fadnavis, during his first tenure (2014–2019), introduced a series of schemes, including financial support of Rs 1.78 lakh, to support the recognised CFR villages. Similarly, the Governor's Office of Maharashtra directed the state to modify its minor forest produce regulations and allowed the Gram Sabhas of Fifth Schedule areas to own, auction, and dispose of their collected minor forest produce to anyone who offers them a better price. Today, 1,109 CFR-recognised villages in the district are exercising these rights and have benefited enormously. The households in CFR-recognised villages earn a minimum of Rs 7,000 per month from forest resources. More importantly, a democratic, decentralised, and transparent process governs the forest resources. CFRs have provided livelihood security to thousands of forest-dwelling communities, protected tribal autonomy, and ensured the sustainable use of forest resources. Our research shows that forests managed by Gram Sabhas in Gadchiroli have experienced less deforestation than forest areas regulated by the Forest Department, where logging continues in an unsustainable and uncontrolled fashion. Economic outcomes have also been particularly remarkable: reduction in migration, less dependence on middlemen, creation of forest-based employment opportunities, and investment in education and health sectors. Many CFR-recognised Gram Sabhas have reinvested incomes from the forest into improving their recognised CFR areas. They have adopted forest plantation programmes and regularly patrolled the forest to protect it from both internal and external threats. A combination of factors explains these phenomenal achievements. First is the long history of collective action and grassroots movements initiated by local tribal leaders. They did not depend on external agencies or NGOs for their forest rights. While across the country the implementation of the FRA is largely NGO-driven, the case of Gadchiroli has been unique — driven by organic local initiatives. Also vital has been the district leadership and administration's genuine commitment to the decentralisation of decision-making over forests, irrespective of political alignment. The District Collector's office has initiated a series of activities, making policies at the Gram Sabha level more responsive to sustainable tribal livelihood and forest conservation. To date, the administration has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with 728 Gram Sabhas to provide necessary technical and financial support in the development, management, and implementation of the recognised CFR areas. Nevertheless, numerous challenges continue for forest-dwelling communities, especially in South Gadchiroli. Many villagers are afraid of displacement due to recent mining proposals. The Maharashtra government needs to ensure that its proposed development model—including steel plants, and mining proposals in tribal-populated areas—does not inhibit the exercise of recognised rights and safeguards under PESA (Provisions of the Panchayats [Extension to Scheduled Areas] Act) and FRA. It also needs to streamline its progressive district and block-level convergence schemes, implement them in a concerted manner, and provide communities with greater support to ensure their well-being and local development. Gadchiroli's community forest rights have been a success. The district administration's strategy — combining rehabilitation packages, local infrastructure development, and decentralisation of power — is worth replicating in other Naxal-affected areas in the country. The writer is a Professor at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai
